Alex Perullo has received a grant to create the African Digital Archive, an interactive, multimedia resource about African people who have immigrated to Rhode Island. Learn about the genesis and goals of the archive in this podcast.

Rhode Island has lost most of the economic momentum it had in the first two quarters of 2011, according to Bryant economists' research. "Recovery will not be smooth or straightforward," says the executive director of RIPEC. "If the pace of economic growth does not accelerate soon, employment creation will stagnate."

BizEd features Bryant's inaugural Research and Engagement Day event in its Idea Exchange column. "Showcasing academics is a challenge for many universities, especially those that aren't Research I," Carol DeMoranville, professor of marketing and one of the organizers of the inaugural REDay, told the magazine. "There's so much going on here. We just want to celebrate our academics."

Chuck LoCurto, former executive vice president and chief information officer of Textron Financial Corporation, will join Bryant as its vice president for information services and chief information officer.

Stephen M. Bannon, who has had a distinguished 25-year career with the Rhode Island State Police, has been named director of the Department of Public Safety. His "unique blend of ground-level skills, labor relations experience and executive-level leadership made him the ideal candidate," said Thomas Eakin, vice president for student affairs and dean of students.

An article on Fast Company's Exist blog notes Bryant University's smarter buildings project as an example of the way energy efficiency contributes to a community's sustainability. "Bryant was able to see a 15% reduction in energy consumption and a 42% reduction in cooling," it reports.